My Best Friend's A Dragon Rider
by saxygal
Summary: How would the Inheritance Cycle have played out if Eragon had had a best friend back home? A best friend who just so happened to be a very unusual girl. Eragon/OC. Rated because I'm paranoid.
1. Prologue

**I'm back with yet another story. I don't think that there's another story similar to this, I haven't really looked for one.**

**Summary: How would the Inheritance Cycle have played out if Eragon had had a best friend back home? A best friend who just so happened to be a girl his age. She knows him better than anyone and has known him since they were just kids. But she's not your typical girl in the least. So what happens when she insists on accompanying him when he leaves Carvahal? Well, it'll be interesting to say the least.**

**Oh, my OC's name is pronounced like Dana, just so you know.**

My Best Friend's A Dragon Rider

Prologue

My name is Zana. I'm your average fifteen-year-old girl. Ok, maybe not average in the sense of being a typical girl, but I still look average. I have dark brown hair that falls in waves to just past my shoulder blades and I'm around average height, if not a little taller. My eyes are probably my most unique feature; they're a rich, dark brown that is just short of being black, but still holds a chocolaty essence and they're a wide, almond shape.

I live in a small village called Carvahal. I say it's small because the population's around 300 people. Actually, we're probably bigger than other villages because we actually appear on certified maps of the Empire and I know that there are other villages that aren't. Other than the fact that people know who we are, Carvahal goes basically unnoticed. I have a feeling that it's because of our close proximity to the Spine Mountains. Most people tend to fear the Spine; as to why, I'm not sure. People, even as close as Therinsford, consider us brave for living here. They'd be so disappointed to see that most of the village still refuses to go close to the mountains. It's pretty pathetic.

My father is Horst, the village blacksmith. The only blacksmith in town, actually. It's a pretty good business, really. We have people coming from Therinsford for repairs, even though they have their own blacksmith. My mother, Elaine, is the only one not in the business. Yeah, that's right; I work in the smithy too, along with my brothers, Baldor and Albriech. I told you that I wasn't a typical girl. Where most girls my age are working in their homes, helping in the kitchen, and trying to find a suitor that they and their fathers can agree on, I'm out slaving over a hot piece of metal with a hammer. Or hunting with my brothers or my best friend.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention my best friend. His name is Eragon. We've known each other for longer than either of us can remember. It's been harder for both of us to try to get together since we've grown older. I've had more responsibilities in Daddy's shop and he's had more work to do on his uncle's farm. Unfortunately, we also happen to live on opposite sides of the village; me closer to the Spine and him 10 miles outside of the village towards Therinsford. But we make it work, and that's all that matters to me.

And remember when I said that I'm not a typical girl? Well, it goes beyond the fact that I'm a tomboy. First off, my family, no matter how much I love them, isn't my real family. Mama found me when I was just a baby on the doormat with a letter explaining that my birth parents couldn't keep me and wanted me to have a good home. I've grown up most of my life knowing that and sometimes I can't help wondering who I would have been if I hadn't been left here that night. In the last few years, I've come to realize that it doesn't matter who I would have been. I am who I am and I'm surrounded by my family and friends who love me no matter what, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. What's funny is that Eragon's in a similar situation; he was raised by his mother's brother after she left him here. Sometimes I'm slightly envious of him because at least he knows something about his family and I know nothing.

But there's something else; something that very few people know. It's my deepest darkest secret and outside of my family only two people know what it is. If the Empire ever found out, I'd be a goner, as would my family and anyone else who knows my secret. You see, I'm a magician and a talented one at that. Unfortunately for me, right before I was born, the Empire passed a law saying that all magicians, whether they're good or not, are to be handed over to be trained and enlisted to serve the Empire. It's not good to be a magician living in the Empire in this day and age. It's even worse for those who, like me, are living in secrecy. According to the law, any magician over the age of ten found to be living outside of the service of the king will be taken immediately to Uru'baen to be trained, no goodbyes, no choice in the matter. Their families and anyone else who helped to hide them are considered traitors and are executed. Like I said, it's not a good situation at all. That's why we're so secretive about it. That's why only my family, my trainer, and Eragon know what I am; if anyone else found out, we could all be in big trouble and, to be perfectly honest, I don't think I can trust anyone else with my secret.

**This is just a little introduction to my OC. The other chapters will be better, I promise. Let me know what you think of my little idea, preferably in a review, please.**


	2. Important Author's Note

**Hey guys!**

**I have to say that all of my stories are going on hiatus for a while. I'm really sorry, but I'm going to be out of the country for a week and won't have access to a computer. Plus, I'll be getting ready to start school once I get back so I don't know how much time I'll have to write and update. I'm so sorry to have to do this. Please don't stop reading because of this! I love you all and am going to miss seeing all of the reviews and favs you guys give me with each update!**


	3. The Hunt and The Stone

**Whoo-hoo! Finally I'm updating this! So obviously I'm giving up on my hiatus list idea and everything is off hiatus.**

**With that being said, I now proudly present the next chapter of My Best Friend's A Dragon Rider!  
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The Hunt and The Stone

I pulled my coat tighter around me as the wind changed direction so that the tree I was leaning against was no longer blocking the cold, blowing air. Winter was coming and I knew that the first snow fall couldn't be too far off; if the air was this cold, it had to be coming soon.

I watched as Eragon ran his fingers over the ground. We were tracking a herd of deer in the Spine; we're the only ones brave enough to enter the mountains. We almost always hunt together, and we hunt best with each other. I have the better aim, but since Eragon's a farmer, he can read the soil better than I can, figuring out how long it's been since the herd passed through.

Eragon stood and brushed the dirt off of his pants. "Any luck?" I asked him. I know it can be harder to tell when there's this cold of a wind blowing.

He shrugged. "Not really. I'd say they passed through here around an hour ago, but I'm not sure."

"Knowing you, you're probably pretty close," I told him with a grin.

He grinned back at me. "I think that you have too much faith in me"

I shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. So, what do you want to do?"

Eragon scratched his chin. "I don't know. We can either go on and make camp or we can see if we can catch them."

I thought for a moment. It was getting really cold and sitting by a warm fire sounded really nice, but if we did that we could lose the herd completely. "I think we should keep moving. If we stay here, who knows how far ahead the herd will get."

"Good point. We can't afford to lose them," Eragon said, eyes distant. I knew him well enough to know that he wasn't just saying that; he meant it. If we didn't catch something on this hunting trip, then he didn't know how his family was going to get meat for the winter. My heart ached for him; I'd make sure that he'd have his meat, no matter what.

"Then we better get moving," I said. He nodded and we started walking forward again. We were silent and our eyes were searching the trees for any sign of movement. We had hunted enough to know that we had to be as quiet as possible; otherwise the animals could get frightened and run off or we might not hear anything and end up coming out with nothing.

Suddenly, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and glanced to my right. Sure enough, one of the deer was standing in the tree line eating some grass; or at least what little there was. Honestly, the trees in the area were blackened and the underbrush was basically gone, probably remnants of a recent fire.

I stuck my hand out to stop Eragon, who was still walking forward, not knowing that I had stopped. I grabbed his arm and tugged. He came back to stand next to me, giving me this confused look with his head cocked to the side slightly. I pointed off towards the lone deer. He nodded, drew an arrow, and knocked it. I followed suit and we began to creep closer to the animal.

_CRACK!_ A twig snapped beneath my foot. Normally it wouldn't have been that loud, but in the dark and quiet forest, it was an explosion. The deer's head snapped up and stared at us, unmoving. Then it bolted and we took off after it at full speed.

_Stupid, stupid, STUPID!_ I screamed at myself as we ran. _Careless, reckless, stupid move! Pay attention Zana! If we lose this thing, I'm gonna stab myself with this arrow!_

Eragon grabbed my arm and pulled us to a slow walk. I glanced at him, eyebrow raised. He gave me a look that said "Let it go. It'll calm down if it thinks we aren't chasing it." He was right of course, I was just so mad at myself that I wasn't thinking straight. I nodded then started walking forward, Eragon following me.

I came to a stop a few minutes later. The deer had entered a small clearing with a little creek running through it and had stopped to drink. I glanced over at Eragon. He nodded and we split off, him moving towards the creek and me in the opposite direction to get behind the animal. Once I was in position, I drew an arrow and took aim, standing very still and quiet. The bow string was tense under my grip, the bow itself groaning from the strain; but I knew that both of them would hold. I stared down the arrow to its point, seeing the path it would take to the deer's stomach. It wouldn't necessarily kill it on contact but it would injure it enough to where it couldn't escape. Across from me, I caught just a glimpse of Eragon's arrowhead in the moonlight. Hopefully he had a shot at the animal's heart; huntress I may be, but I don't like for the kills to suffer.

Just as I was about to let my arrow fly, it happened. The clearing was filled with a bright light and there was an explosion that shook the ground. I was knocked off my feet and thrown backwards. I flew through the air and my back collided with a tree, knocking the air out of me and causing me to gasp with pain. The force of the explosion sent my arrow flying wild and my collision with the tree made me drop the bow. I fell forward onto the ground, gasping for breath. My whole body was aching and I felt blinded by the light. I tried to open my eyes, but the air was filled with dust and it made my eyes water and burn, so I slammed them shut again. I began to cough from all of the dust that I was inhaling.

"Zana!" Eragon called out. "Zana, are you ok?"

I raised my head up and squinted to see if I could see him through the dust; I saw silhouettes, nothing more. I opened my mouth to call out to him, but ended up breathing in about a lungful of the dust that was still settling around me and entered another huge coughing fit. "Over…here!" I finally managed in between coughs. I began to try to push myself up on shaking arms, but was stopped halfway by more coughs.

I heard and felt more than saw Eragon run over to me, following the sound of my voice. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a sitting position against the tree behind, which happened to be the one that almost broke my back. He stared at me with a worried expression, but his eyes revealed something else. I couldn't place my finger on what that "something else" was. "You alright?" he asked.

I coughed again before nodding. "I'm fine. What the heck happened?" Eragon's eyes brightened up at my question.

"You've gotta see this," he said. "Can you stand and walk?" His worried expression returned. I knew he was genuinely concerned about me, but I was fine. And besides, I wanted to know what caused that explosion.

"Yeah, just help me up." I grabbed his hand and he yanked me upright. The world spun for a second and I was kinda unsteady, but then I was fine. Eragon, of course, noticed and gave me a weird look. "Seriously, I'm fine," I said. "Come on, let's see whatever it is you were talking about."

Eragon grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into the clearing. The deer was gone and the grass and trees looked like they had been turned into charcoal. Lying in front of the tree that I had been standing behind was some kind of blue stone surrounded by a green and blue fire. My eyes widened. "What the heck is that?"

Eragon shrugged. "I have no idea. I saw the bright flash and it was there when the light faded. Personally I don't trust it." He glanced at me, eyes expectant.

I shook my head and sighed. "And you think because I can use magic, I trust everything that magically appears? What are you, nuts?"

"Yes, completely insane."

I rolled my eyes at him and he laughed. I went up to the stone. "Brisingr deyja," I commanded, my right hand extended. The strange fire surrounding the strange stone was extinguished. I knelt down, took an arrow, and poked the stone. Nothing happened. "I think it's safe," I said, glancing over my shoulder at Eragon.

He came over and knelt down next to me. He reached his hand out and ran his fingers down the stone. He picked it up and weighed it in his hands. Then he stood and took it back and put it in his bag.

"Whoa, hold on there, farm boy! You aren't thinking about keeping that thing are you?" I stared at him. If I didn't think he was nuts before, I certainly did now.

He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "So what if I am? You're the one who said it was safe." Ok, he had a point. "Besides, it might be worth something," he added, eyes distant.

I sighed. _That's_ where his mind was heading. There was no convincing him now; once he thought something would benefit his family, nothing could stop him from getting or doing it. "Fine, but I am not going to be responsible if anything happens to you. I'm probably just going to say "I told you so,"" I warned.

Eragon grinned. "I'd never ask you to do any different. Shall we make camp, then head back in the morning?"

I nodded. A warm fire and sleep sounded heavenly. "Sounds good."

**There ya have it! Chapter three will include the village. I'm also going by the book not the movie since the movie screwed up basically the entire thing :(. Hope you enjoyed it! R&R, por favor!**

**Ancient Language Guide**

**Brisingr deyja - Die fire**


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